Mumbai, January 15, 2026: Exit polls released on Thursday evening have projected a clear advantage for the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, indicating a decisive shift in the balance of power in India’s richest civic body after a prolonged electoral gap.
According to estimates published by multiple agencies, including Axis My India, the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance is projected to secure between 131 and 151 seats in the 227-member BMC, comfortably crossing the majority mark. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT is expected to trail with an estimated 58 to 68 seats. Vote share projections suggest the Mahayuti alliance may garner around 42 percent of the votes, while Shiv Sena-UBT could receive close to 32 percent.
Other exit polls have broadly echoed this trend. Projections from JVC indicate the BJP-led alliance could win around 138 seats, while another estimate places the tally at approximately 119 seats. Despite variations in numbers, all major surveys point towards a strong showing by the Mahayuti alliance in Mumbai.
Voting for the Maharashtra civic body elections was held across 29 municipal corporations earlier in the day. An estimated 3.48 crore voters were eligible to cast their ballots, deciding the fate of 15,931 candidates statewide. In Mumbai alone, around 1,700 candidates contested for 227 seats in polls held after a delay of nearly four years.
The BMC election has drawn heightened attention due to the corporation’s annual budget exceeding Rs 74,400 crore and its strategic importance in Maharashtra’s political landscape. The contest in Mumbai has also been marked by the political rivalry between factions of the Shiv Sena, adding to the stakes of the election.
While exit polls offer early indicators, political parties have urged caution, noting that final outcomes will only be confirmed once official results are declared. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on Friday, January 16.
